How Social Media Use in B2B Export Selling Contributes to Sales Performance: The Media Synchronicity Theory Perspective

Abstract

Despite increasing interest in the role of social media use (SMU) in improving performance, limited studies have examined its impact on sales performance in B2B export sales contexts. And the underlying mechanisms of such effects remain underexplored. Drawing on Media Synchronicity Theory, we propose SMU in sales affects cross-cultural communication performance first, which in turn affects sales performance, and training and experience are appropriation factors of SMU in sales. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 751 B2B export salespeople from mainland China. The results show cross-cultural communication performance fully mediates the effect of SMU in sales on sales performance, and training and experience are antecedents of SMU in sales. The total effect of training on sales performance through SMU in sales and cross-cultural communication performance is stronger than that of experience. Theoretical and practical insights on how to leverage social media to support B2B export sales performance are discussed.